Afghan Rule In Kashmir

Ahmad Shah, a free hooter of Nadir Shah gladly accepted this offer and immediately despatched a strong and a powerful Afgan army under the command of Abdullah Khan lshik Aqasi, to occupy the valley. The Moghul satrap offered a strong resistance, but was defeated and the Afgan Governor planted the Afgan flag on the ramparts of Akbar's town at Nogar. The rule of Moghuls in Kasmir came to an end although it continued to exist in northern India, nominally upto 1857. Kashmir remained a dependency of Kabul rulers till 1819, roughly a period of 67 years.
The Pathan rule is the darkest period in the history of our state. The rulers of Kabul were great despots, and they ruled all the parts of their kingdom ruthlessly and with an iron hand. The corner stone of their policy was terror. As many as twenty eight Durrani Subedars governed Kashmir during these sixty seven years. The Kashmir nobleman had expected that Abdali would give them a good and a stable government, but the very first Afgan governor Abdullah Khan Aquasi, immediately after assuming powers started a reign of terror. People began to be looted and killed indiscriminately, and even the petty Afgan soliders began to amass wealth by the foulest possible means. Most of the well to do people of the valley were summoned by the Governor to his palace, and ordered to surrender all their wealth on pain of death. Their houses were completey sacked, and many people were put to sword.
There was complete gloom and despair on every side. All the prosperity of the valley was gone, and the people could not even move on the streets, for fear of being robbed of even their scanty clothing. Each and everyday for a Kashmiri was a day of struggle and uncertainty. As ill luck would have it, only weak and worthless Amirs governed Kabul, after the death of Abdali. These Amirs would either be quickly deposed or assassinated. Naturally accession of every new Amir would mean appointment of a new Subedar in Kashmir. Hence every Governor expected his recall or dismissal at any time. This unertainty made these rapacious governors ruthless, and they squeezed every penny from the people mercilessly.
It is true, that all sections of people suffered here during their time, but the chief vicitims of these fiends were the Hindus, Shias and Bombas of Jhelum valley.
It is strange that during this dark period a Hindu also became a Governor here. His name was Raja Sukh Jeevan Mal. It was only in his time that Kashmir heaved a sigh of relief. He was afterwards defeated and killed by Ahmad Shah. The Pathan rulers are now only rememberd for their brutality and cruelity, and it is said of them that they thought no more of cutting off heads than plucking a flower.